An example of a conventional remote control system of this type is described in Patent Document 1. In this remote control system described in Patent Document 1, two antennas composed by directional and omni-directional antennas are provided for a remote control device. Assume that, in order to perform remote control of a certain controlled target device, a user determines an orientation of the remote control device so that the desired certain controlled target device is identified in a direction in which sensitivity of the directional antenna becomes best and that the user presses a remote control key. Then, the remote control device transmits a signal requesting connection through the omni-directional antenna, performs switching to the directional antenna, and waits for a response. Each controlled target device that has received the signal requesting connection transmits a response signal including device attribute information on itself. Response signals transmitted from devices other than the controlled target device identified in the direction in which the sensitivity of the directional antenna becomes best cannot be received at the remote control device, or a reception level of the remote control device becomes low even if the response signals can be received. Utilizing this, the remote control device specifies one controlled target device as a current target for control. When a plurality of effective responses is present, a list of controlled target devices from which the responses have been present is displayed to cause the user to select the controlled target device. The one controlled target device is thereby specified for the current target for control. Next, a program for performing remote control of the specified controlled target device is run to display an operation screen on a display unit, and switching to the omni-directional antenna is performed again. Thereafter, the remote control device transmits to the controlled target device a remote control signal corresponding to an operation instructed by the user through the operation screen, from the omni-directional antenna.
Other example of the conventional remote control system is described in Patent Document 2. In this remote control system described in Patent Document 2, an arrangement status of controlled target devices, which are present around the system, is displayed on a display screen of a remote control device, using icons. In response to an operation instruction for an icon, a remote control signal specifying an identifier (a device ID) set in advance in one of the devices corresponding to the icon is transmitted to the one of the devices.
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-P2002-330483A
[Patent Document 2]
Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-P2004-320209A